Jerusalem – Head Of IDF’s Air Raid Siren Says System Is Complex, But “In Tune”

Jerusalem – In explaining the astounding number of complexities and variables that go into determining if and when to sound Israel’s warning system in response to incoming Palestinian rockets, the head of the IDF’s early warring branch says that he is personally “melting with pride” at how “in tune” the system is.

TIMESOFISRAEL.com (http://bit.ly/1kVzCiA) reports that Lt. Col. Levi Itach explains that Israel’s current system—which in a matter of seconds can determine the size, trajectory, and kill capacity of an object coming out of Gaza—is nevertheless wrought with dilemmas unique to each strike, but that the presiding factor in each instance is to provide Israelis with as much time as possible to seek shelter.

The bottom line, according to Lt. Col Itach, is that despite the extraordinary capabilities of the Israel detection system, in each instance IDF operators are essentially fighting against the clock in deciding when to sound the sirens.

“Operationally speaking, where do you cut it off?” Itach said. “How much time do you leave the citizen? What’s enough time? A 70-80-90-year old; a five-year-old: realistically speaking, how much time do they need?”

Itach said that “erring on the side of caution” is always tantamount and that the current system is programmed to automatically triple the size of the projected coverage area of each incoming rocket.

Itach said he is “melting with pride” at the way both the system and IDF soldiers manning it are performing, and that despite the inherent horrors that have accompanied the current six-day conflict, “the whole business [of early warning] is in tune.”